Today we had an amazing assembly!
We have a new friendship bench at our school now because of one BHS senior and his vision to help kids find friends. Check out our guest speaker ... http://www.tinygirlbigdream.org/
Friday, September 30, 2016
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Today we worked on more problem solving in math. We focused on four different strategies for solving a problem, drawing a picture, making a number sentence, making a model with stuff (dominoes, cubes, crayons etc.) or tallying. The kids did great!
FYI you will see lots of unfinished work send home this year (for example the word problem paper from today). Please be aware that unfinished work at this age and this time of the year is fine! First graders are working on the balance between work completion and work quality.
FYI the spirit wear order for BES shirts and sweatshirts closes tomorrow. If you are interested look for the link on the BES website.
FYI you will see lots of unfinished work send home this year (for example the word problem paper from today). Please be aware that unfinished work at this age and this time of the year is fine! First graders are working on the balance between work completion and work quality.
FYI the spirit wear order for BES shirts and sweatshirts closes tomorrow. If you are interested look for the link on the BES website.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
What a special day in room 107! We were loving having our stuffed animals here in school with us today. It was a hit!
In literacy we have been segmenting and blending words. When we do this we are practicing it on our fingers by tapping the sounds out and then blending or sweeping them back together.
In math we did tried our hand and some simple word problems. We found that there are a lot of ways we can solve these problems! Some kids made tallies, some wrote a number sentence, some used a number line, some used a number grid, some drew picture and others made a model.
Instead of our normal writer's workshop today we did a special project. As we are reading the book Charlotte's Web, we each brainstormed and chose a word that Charlotte might have put in the web to describe us! Here is a list of our final words....see if you can guess your student's word!
Ice skater
Funny
Loving
Happy
Good
Playing
Smiley
Silly
Smart
Fun
Fast
Artist
Beautiful
Brother
Sweet
Awesome
Terrific
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Today we reached a very exciting milestone! We have filled up our privilege bucket for the first time this year! The class brainstormed and voted and the first privilege is...bring in a stuffed animal day! Which will be tomorrow (Wednesday). Please remind your first grader to pack 1 stuffed animal in their bag for tomorrow. We discussed the difference between a stuffed animal ( no light up/ sound effects etc) and a toy. We discussed all kids who ride the bus need to keep their stuffed animal in their bags on the bus and then they can free them when they get into our room.
This class couldn't be more deserving, we took 2 (short) assessments today. First our end of unit FUNdations test to look at how well we are doing with letter/sound correlation and handwriting of lowercase letters and then later a AIMSweb math assessment to get our baseline data for addition and subtraction. I was very impressed by what I saw on both tests. The big idea I went over with the kids was that I wasn't concerned so much with what they get right and wrong and just that they try their best. I can honestly say they worked very hard today and they did try their best!
These assessments and much more will be shared with you at PTC in a few weeks.
Despite my best attempts at carving out time in the day to call and chat with families I have not made it through my list. I know talking on the phone during the day is not easy or doable for everyone. IF you did not get a call or chance to chat with me and want to chat or email about your child's transition into first grade I would love to connect. Shoot me an email, my possible times are 10:10 am, 11:30am or 12:40pm. No question or concern is too small. I am all ears! Thanks!
This class couldn't be more deserving, we took 2 (short) assessments today. First our end of unit FUNdations test to look at how well we are doing with letter/sound correlation and handwriting of lowercase letters and then later a AIMSweb math assessment to get our baseline data for addition and subtraction. I was very impressed by what I saw on both tests. The big idea I went over with the kids was that I wasn't concerned so much with what they get right and wrong and just that they try their best. I can honestly say they worked very hard today and they did try their best!
These assessments and much more will be shared with you at PTC in a few weeks.
Despite my best attempts at carving out time in the day to call and chat with families I have not made it through my list. I know talking on the phone during the day is not easy or doable for everyone. IF you did not get a call or chance to chat with me and want to chat or email about your child's transition into first grade I would love to connect. Shoot me an email, my possible times are 10:10 am, 11:30am or 12:40pm. No question or concern is too small. I am all ears! Thanks!
Monday, September 26, 2016
Today we had our first guest teacher when Mrs. Pelletier was out in the morning. I was so happy to hear the team worked well together for the guest teacher!
In literacy we revealed our last two letters of the alphabet and got our last two picture cards. We now know a picture clue to reference for each letter sound. Look for a new homework log coming home this week and focus on the letter/picture/sound correlation for our 5 vowels.
Today also in our folders is a pink permission slip for our first field trip! We are continuing the first grade tradition of building fairy houses! We will be reading the fairy house books by Tracy Kane in school soon. All families are invited to join us on Thursday October 6th from 845 to 945. We will meet in the school outside the gym/office area and walk into the Bow School Woods behind the school and follow the trails to find a good building site. Please return the pink permission slip and check the box if you plan on coming to join us.
FYI we have a guidance lesson in lieu of library 1 out of every 5 weeks. Today we had guidance. I gave the students a choice to either return their books or hang on to them until next Monday. Next Monday we will return to the library and exchange books.
In literacy we revealed our last two letters of the alphabet and got our last two picture cards. We now know a picture clue to reference for each letter sound. Look for a new homework log coming home this week and focus on the letter/picture/sound correlation for our 5 vowels.
Today also in our folders is a pink permission slip for our first field trip! We are continuing the first grade tradition of building fairy houses! We will be reading the fairy house books by Tracy Kane in school soon. All families are invited to join us on Thursday October 6th from 845 to 945. We will meet in the school outside the gym/office area and walk into the Bow School Woods behind the school and follow the trails to find a good building site. Please return the pink permission slip and check the box if you plan on coming to join us.
FYI we have a guidance lesson in lieu of library 1 out of every 5 weeks. Today we had guidance. I gave the students a choice to either return their books or hang on to them until next Monday. Next Monday we will return to the library and exchange books.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
We had our best day in first grade yet! I am so amazed at how comfortable the kids are getting and how much they are already learning and participating. We start each day with a morning meeting and we have started taking volunteers to lead the song ( sing solo part). I have already had a lot of hands up to be a leader! What a brave group!
In literacy we are learning for some and reviewing for others how to segment and blend words. We tap out the sounds on our fingers and then blend them. Ask your first grader to show you how to segment and blend a simple word by giving them the sounds one at a time..."/c/..../a/...../t/."
In math we launched our new math app called ST Math on the ipads today! All the kids did some training to remember their 13 pictures code password! They loved it!
More on ST Math soon!
Remember to turn in your homework log tomorrow or Monday if your first grader has colored in any apples on their log.
Also we introduced the privilege bucket today to reinforce all the positive behavior we have going on in our room. We work as a team to fill the bucket and then we pick a special privilege to do! Ask your first grader what they brainstormed they want to suggest!
In literacy we are learning for some and reviewing for others how to segment and blend words. We tap out the sounds on our fingers and then blend them. Ask your first grader to show you how to segment and blend a simple word by giving them the sounds one at a time..."/c/..../a/...../t/."
In math we launched our new math app called ST Math on the ipads today! All the kids did some training to remember their 13 pictures code password! They loved it!
More on ST Math soon!
Remember to turn in your homework log tomorrow or Monday if your first grader has colored in any apples on their log.
Also we introduced the privilege bucket today to reinforce all the positive behavior we have going on in our room. We work as a team to fill the bucket and then we pick a special privilege to do! Ask your first grader what they brainstormed they want to suggest!
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Yesterday first graders brought home their first homework log. All families should have received an email from me about the log. Key points:
*We (the first grade team) are doing something different this year
*We are not focused on worksheets as we may have done in the past
*Homework time is working to build fluency
*All ideas are suggestions and not mandatory
*Use this as it fits in your life for your family and your first grader
*Logs can be turned in Monday in any condition (did none, did some, did a lot)
*Email me for any clarification.
In literacy we have worked our way up to doing 4 rotations a day! Phew! One of those rotations is at the reading table and we are slowly beginning to try reading groups! Reading bags will begin coming home in October (again use as you see fit).
In math we are continuing to practice counting by 5's and making tallies. We have started to talk and learn about number sentences, with the focus being on addition sentences. We started making some number sentences today for our cluster cards. For example a cluster of 4 could be 3+1=4 or 2+2=4. We will continue to practice number sentences with cuisenaire rods tomorrow.
In writing we are launching our first unit of study (in the Lucy Calkin's program) Small Moments. Our focus is to write about something that has happened to us or that we like to do and zooming in to tell about a specific small moment in that story. Our mentor text The Night of the Veggie Monster , tells a funny story about what happens in one zoomed in moment when a little boy is forced to eat his peas at the dinner table. Ask your first grader what they are writing about!
*We (the first grade team) are doing something different this year
*We are not focused on worksheets as we may have done in the past
*Homework time is working to build fluency
*All ideas are suggestions and not mandatory
*Use this as it fits in your life for your family and your first grader
*Logs can be turned in Monday in any condition (did none, did some, did a lot)
*Email me for any clarification.
In literacy we have worked our way up to doing 4 rotations a day! Phew! One of those rotations is at the reading table and we are slowly beginning to try reading groups! Reading bags will begin coming home in October (again use as you see fit).
In math we are continuing to practice counting by 5's and making tallies. We have started to talk and learn about number sentences, with the focus being on addition sentences. We started making some number sentences today for our cluster cards. For example a cluster of 4 could be 3+1=4 or 2+2=4. We will continue to practice number sentences with cuisenaire rods tomorrow.
In writing we are launching our first unit of study (in the Lucy Calkin's program) Small Moments. Our focus is to write about something that has happened to us or that we like to do and zooming in to tell about a specific small moment in that story. Our mentor text The Night of the Veggie Monster , tells a funny story about what happens in one zoomed in moment when a little boy is forced to eat his peas at the dinner table. Ask your first grader what they are writing about!
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